Federal government approves first offshore wind farm in NJ

New Jersey's first offshore wind energy project — and the third approved by the federal government — received approval on Wednesday from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM.

The project, known as Ocean Wind 1, will be run by Denmark-based power company Ørsted and be built about 15 miles off the coast. The project will generate enough electricity to power about 500,000 homes, according to the company.

"Since Day One, the Biden-Harris administration has worked to jump-start the offshore wind industry across the country — and today’s approval for the Ocean Wind 1 project is another milestone in our efforts to create good-paying union jobs while combatting climate change and powering our nation," U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said in a statement.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said the announcement marked a "pivotal inflection point" in the state's transition toward carbon-free power.

Proponents of offshore wind say climate change is a dangerous threat to New Jersey's marine and coastal ecosystems as well as millions of residents: Through warming oceans that will lead to worse storms and more frequent flooding, ocean acidification that will kill marine animals, and disruptions in migration routes and feeding and breeding areas.

Warming ocean temperatures could also slow down critical circulation currents within the Atlantic Ocean and lead to changes in how heat moves between the equator and poles, potentially changing climates across portions of the Earth, according to NASA.

Proponents of offshore wind say reducing atmospheric greenhouse gas through the transition to carbon-free energy is an essential part of slowing climate change and protecting critical ecosystems around the world.

"The project's approval demonstrates the federal government's commitment to developing clean energy and fighting climate change and is a testament to the state of New Jersey's leadership in supporting sustainable sources of energy and economic development for coastal communities," BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein said in a statement.

Federal officials said Ocean Wind 1 will have to adhere to regulations designed to protect endangered and threatened marine animals, including enforcing vessel speed limits and funding various animal monitoring programs.

Yet offshore wind has become a source of controversy in New Jersey, pitting politicians against one another down party lines and even dividing some environmental groups over its potential marine impacts.

Critics of offshore wind say construction of wind farms will kill marine animals and disrupt the migrations of whales and other important species. They say the farms will place thousands of acres of important fishing grounds off limits and destroy livelihoods in the fisheries business, particularly among clam and scallop harvesters who trawl the seafloor. The bases of wind turbines will likely make trawling too dangerous to pursue in these areas, according to scallop and surf clam harvesters.

Read more: Should NJ's fishing community be compensated for offshore wind losses?

Critics also say many in the fishing community will spend more time and fuel reaching fishing grounds farther away because of the turbine farms.

Scot Mackey, who represents Garden State Seafood before Trenton lawmakers, said he was not surprised by the announcement.

"This will impact specifically surf clams in the region where there's historic catches, and there's a significant concern for those that are fishing out of Barnegat Light and Atlantic City that are transiting out to other fishing grounds," he said. "To date, there has been no real effort to address our concerns, the mitigation or minimization, or any of it."

But others in the fishing community say wind farms will be a boon for anglers, because the turbine bases will act like reefs and attract a variety of fish species.

Department of Interior officials said Ocean Wind 1's approval includes a provision for a commercial fisheries compensation program. The fund will offer reimbursement for lost revenue, a safety fund for navigational equipment, and money for lost or damaged fishing gear.

Yet opponents of the project are not giving up their efforts to stop Ocean Wind 1 from being constructed.

Earlier this month, three New Jersey organizations — Save LBI, Defend Brigantine Beach and Protest Our Coast NJ —filed a lawsuit in state Superior Court to stop construction of the project.

Ocean Wind 1 will harm "one of the most important marine communities on the East Coast and the core of New Jersey's $47 billion tourist industry," said Bruce Afran, an attorney for the three groups.

However, state and federal officials are moving ahead with approvals. Last week, Trenton lawmakers voted to allow Ørsted to collect federal tax credits aimed at offshore wind farms.

Murphy said BOEM's approval brings New Jersey a step closer toward its green energy goals.

"As we continue to cultivate burgeoning new industries while confronting the worsening climate crisis, our state’s first offshore wind project will generate thousands of good-paying union jobs and considerable environmental benefits for generations to come," he said.

Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers Brick, Barnegat and Lacey townships as well as the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than a decade. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Feds approve first offshore wind farm in NJ